Numerical modeling of oil shale fragmentation experiments

Journal Article · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1986 · In Situ; (United States)

OSTI ID:5050418

Kuszmaul, J S

The economic development of modified in situ oil shale retorting will benefit from the ability to design a blasting scheme that creates a rubble bed of uniform permeability. Preparing such a design depends upon successfully predicting how a given explosive charge and firing sequence will fracture the oil shale. Numerical models are used to predict the extent of damage caused by a particular explosive charge. Recent single-blastwell cratering tests provided experimental measurements of the extent of damage induced by an explosion. Measuring rock damage involved crater excavation, rubble screening, crater elevation surveys, and posttest extraction of cores. These measurements were compared to the damage calculated by the numerical model. Core analyses showed that the damage varied greatly from layer to layer. The numerical results also show this effect, indicating that rock damage is highly dependent on oil shale grade. The computer simulation also calculated particle velocities and dynamic stress amplitudes in the rock; predicted values agree with experimental measurements. Calculated rock fragmentation compared favorably with fragmentation measured by crater excavation and by core analysis. Because coring provides direct inspection of rock fragmentation, the use of posttest coring in future experiments is recommended.

• Research Organization: In Situ Technologies Div., Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM 87185-5800
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 5050418
• Journal Information: In Situ; (United States), Journal Name: In Situ; (United States) Vol. 10:3; ISSN ISOMD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
040300* -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Drilling
Fracturing & Mining
040401 -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- In Situ Methods
True & Modified
AMPLITUDES
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
BLAST EFFECTS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMMINUTION
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
CRATERING EXPLOSIONS
DAMAGE
DECOMPOSITION
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
ENERGY SOURCES
EXPLOSIONS
EXPLOSIVE FRACTURING
EXPLOSIVES
FOSSIL FUELS
FRACTURE MECHANICS
FRACTURING
FRAGMENTATION
FUELS
IN-SITU PROCESSING
IN-SITU RETORTING
MATERIALS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MECHANICS
MODIFIED IN-SITU PROCESSES
OIL SHALES
PERMEABILITY
PROCESSING
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
RETORTING
ROCK MECHANICS
SIMULATION
STRESS INTENSITY FACTORS